Foodie Friday with “Real Food Fast “ by Mary Berry

The relentless rain yesterday didn't stop and the heavy dark clouds overhead weren't exactly cheery. It was one of those days that the lights are on all day and you stay resolutely indoors if you can.

The sort of day when you feel the urge to bake. The thing was, I didn't really know what I fancied to make or eat. Time to sit down then with a hot drink, and rifle through my cookbooks for something to tempt and inspire. I didn't want to make a huge cake or something too fiddly, and I'd already made homemade biscuits and shortbread earlier in the week.

Luckily, Mary Berry came to the rescue.

This is a signed copy of her book which was published back in 2005, and given to me for my birthday that year by my lovely neighbour Sharon. Such a useful present, I've been cooking from it ever since.

There are lots of recipes that are speedy to make, or can be prepared well in advance if you have got friends or family coming around for drinks or a meal. Some are fancier than others, (quails eggs, prawn bloody marys anyone?) Some take longer but really, these are uncomplocated dishes which pass the taste test whatever the occasion.

There's other recipes though that are tried and trusted by me - for example the wonderful parmesan and pistachio nutters. Such easy,  delicious biscuits, and then a very moreish mango spiced dip and everyone always wants these recipes.

Starters, fish dishes,  vegetarian,and meat main courses and puddings are featured and there's some chicken dishes I've relied on in past years, and really fancy trying again. Being reminded of Five spice mango chicken again makes me vow I will make it again soon, as well as the mini suasages with mango chutney and sesame seeds which we all love. 

There's a chapter though, which has proved its worth time and time again, and that's Chapter 6, Tea for a crowd.

Mary Berry has opened up her garden for years in the summer in aid of the National Gardens Scheme charity, and so there's a wealth of teatime treats to make in large quantities. A variety of prepare ahead sandwiches, easy but tasty traybakes, cakes and what are called modestly(!) 

"The Very Best Scones"

Actually Mary is right. They are. Light, fluffy and fail-proof. Just the sort of thing when you catering for a crowd, or a school fete or a charity event 

And that's what I decided to make yesterday. Not for any of those reasons. Hot scones with cream and jam, to satisfy my urge to bake on such a dismal, dreary day but also something with the promise and taste of summer gardens and strawberry jam.

They really are a doddle to make - prep time is 10 minutes, cooking time is 10 minutes and makes 40.

The Very Best Scones

Ingredients

900g  2lbs self-raising flour

8 teaspoons baking powder

175 gm 6oz butter 

100g 40z caster sugar

4 eggs

500ml 18 floz milk

Method

Preheat oven to 220 deg C, Fan 200 deg C, Gas mk 7 and lightly grease 2 baking trays

1.Measure the flour and baking powder into a food processor( I used my Kitchen Aid stand mixer) Stir in the sugar.

2.Beat the eggs until blended and make up to agenerous 600ml (1 pint) with the milk. Put aside about  4tblspoons of the egg and milk in a cup for glazing the scones later. Pour the rest of the mixture to the dry ingredients until you have a soft dough, It’s far better to have it on the wet side ,sticking to your fingers as the scones will rise more.

3.Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and flatten it out to a thickness of about 1-2 cm . Use a 5cm (2in) . Gently push the remaining dough together, knead very lightly then gently push the remaining dough together, knead very lightly then re-roll and  cut out more scones as before.

4. Arrange the scones on the prepared baking trays and brush the tops with the reserved egg/milk . Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 to 15 minutes until the scones are well risen and golden. Coolon a wire rack, covered with a clean tea towel to keep them moist.

5.Serve as fresh as possible , cut in half and spread both halves with jam. Top with a good spoonful of thick cream. 

NB I made 20 scones (halved the recipe) and I used 284 ml of buttermilk instead of milk.

If you are cooking for a huge gang, Mary Berry recommends you will need about 1.3kg (3lbs) of jam and about 900ml (1 and half pints) of cream for 40 scones.

Menwhile, I have bookmarked a couple of recipes which I need to make again soon. 

That's the thing about Mary, her years  of experience mean that all her recipes work, I've never had a duff one which has gone wrong. Everything you need to know is carefully explained  and her huge repertoire of flavours and shortcuts in this book make it a winner.

Fast Real Food was published in 2005 by Headline Publishing.

 

A day of cooking from the book "Lucy's Bakes"



So, you may recall I discovered the other week that I own ninety books about food. Recipe books, cookery books, history of food books, travel books with recipes in....I have them all. And I love reading them all.

But recently, I have been rather remiss and rather lazy when it comes to trying out new recipes and dishes. So, each Friday if I can manage it, I'm going to try something different....whether it be a brand new cake, dessert, or a savoury supper dish.

So, what book do I choose to test first? Why, the latest in my collection of course....one which I bought about three weeks ago. Well actually I bought two copies, one for me and one for my daughter.

"Lucy's Bakes" was published in April by Hardie Grant Books, and it's full of gorgeous traybakes, cakes, biscuits and bread.





I've known Lucy Cufflin, the author for years. She knows her food, as a former chef to the Britsh Ambassador in Sweden, the Executive Chef for Skiworld. She has her own food business and I worked with her on a British Red Cross fund raising committee for a number of years. She's funny and feisty, and a no nonsense type of gal...and good to have a few glugs of wine with.

Anyway, we met for lunch a few weeks back.

Also there, and also on that committee was the other Lucy, Lucy Lee-Tirrell who has collaborated on this book. The two Lucys are friends who are joined at the hip when it comes to cooking, baking, and devising recipes...and neither of them can stop talking about food.

I've eaten lots of their food before , so trust what they tell me to do in a recipe, which is just as well, when I tried their "weird and wonderful banana cake".

The title intrigued, but how can you resist the first line of the recipe which says "Brace yourselves!"
Well, I couldn't.....but almost flinched when next come the words "this cake is made with mayonnaise."

Now, I've been making banana loaves for years, and have always gone back to Nigella's recipe. But  I trust the two Lucys. And you should too, even though you might be initially slightly put off by the sloppy mixture with a whiff of mayo coming from the bowl.

Because what you get, is the most beautifully light, moist banana cake, which keep in the tin for four or five days and still tastes fabulous. I've made this cake twice now, testing it on my family and friends at work. Everyone loves it and no one suspected that mayonnaise was involved in its making.

One of my sons hasn't  been eating cake for a number of months now , he's juicing, detoxing , eating healthily , you name it etc....but he seemed to be  mysteriously drawn  to the kitchen as the cake came out of the oven. I cut a slice for him . The cake, still warm, disappeared in a a few nanoseconds. Like Oliver Twist, he held his plate out and asked for more.

And although it does taste delicious still warm and fragrant, please leave most of it until the following day, and the next day, when it just gets better in terms of flavour and moistness.

As for my friends at work, well , they loved it too. I loved it, and will have to ban myself for making it more than once a week.

 I've also made Lucy's soft cookies...another oh so easy recipe which is cheap and cheerful too. My cookies didn't look exactly like Lucy's  I have to admit, but boy, they went down a storm.

There's over 200 recipes in this book, and what I like is the no nonsense directions when making each recipe...concise but informative, with lots of suggestions for ways for adding different ingredients to adapt the cakes or biscuits etc.

 For example, Lucy Le Tirrell's weird and wonderful banana cake can be also adapted to make a carrot cake too. There's plenty of short cuts in this book too...making every recipe accessible to complete beginners. Plus, each recipe has been tested by volunteers, and their comments are also included.

I also like the little details of how they found or devised each recipe. Anyway, what do I bake next from the book? I'll definitely give the carrot cake a go, but not until I've tried after I've made the lemon curd cake and the parsnip and ginger cake. Oh, and the biscotti and bread and.....


But before I get carried away, here's the recipe which I know you will love....

Weird and Wonderful Banana Cake

250g (9 oz) very ripe bananas (about 3 after peeling)
200 g (7oz or 1 cup) soft light brown sugar
250g (9 oz/ 1 cup) mayonnaise ( I used Hellmans mayonnaise, which Lucy also recommends)
100g water or strong coffee (I used water)
250 g (9oz/2 cups) plain, all purpose flour
10g (half an ounce) bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
pinch of salt
Demerara sugar for  sprinkling

So here's what you do....

1.Preheat the oven to 180C (350 degF/Gas  4).Line a 1 kg (2 lb) loaf tin with baking paper.

2.Mash the bananas to a smooth paste.

3.Add the sugar with the mayo, mix well with a wooden spoon, add the water or coffee.

4.Add in the dry ingredients and mix well.

5. Put into the prepared tin and sprinkle with the demerara. Bake for 40 -45 minutes until risen and firm to the touch. Turn out onto a wire rack, remove the paper and leave to cool.

6.Store in a cool place in an airtight container or well wrapped in cling film (plastic wrap) and foil.

Days of plums, damsons and brass

September has been such a good month for plums and damsons hasn't it?

The Victoria plum tree on the allotment was heavily laden this year...

And so there was picking to be done...

I was also given a few pounds of damsons....my friend Jo didn't know what to do with all...every day she came to work with carrier bags of them, and I think she fed the whole newsroom. I exaggerate , she fed those of us who can make puddings and jam. The sports boys in the corner wouldn't know what to do with a damson if it hit them in the ear. 

I however do....and made this lovely Nigel Slater's plum cake...captured just as it was going into the oven. The flavour of the damsons and the texture of ground almonds and polenta made a delicious treat for tea.

Back to the Victoria plums, some of which I froze or stewed and served cold with ice cream.....

But I also tried a new recipe this year...plum gumbo. Made with plums, sultanas, sugar, fresh ginger which adds a certain zing, plus other bits and pieces, it's very tasty with bread and cheese.

In fact the only thing that's wrong with this batch is that I didn't make enough! In the meantime, there's still plenty to do in the kitchen with a preserving pan - time to sort the apples out.....

Not tonight though, it's now dark,  and I'm back in the kitchen just about to get the supper ready. While the vegetables are roasting and the pasta is on to boil , I've been listening to a group whose music always seems to fit this time of night.

Hypnotic Brass Ensemble are from Chicago, but moved to New York. They're a world away from my my cottage in a tiny village . but at twilight, with a glass of red wine in my hand, with my toes tapping our worlds collide and I hope that one day I can see them perform live.

Blackberry days

It's the right time to be baking. And not because of the Great British Bake off either, although I do love the programme in a perverse sort of way. Mary Berry is a national treasure and I admire the talent and fortitude of many of the contestants...but as an impetus to improve my baking skills....no!

Don't get me wrong, I adore cooking...and I am particularly partial to home made cake, tray bakes, and biscuits. What I call homely baking. I'm a whizz with  banana and chocolate loaf, apple cake, blackberry loaf, and Bridget's biscuits .They're all very simple things that can be whisked up at the drop of a hat, and don't take too much effort. My Lemon drizzle cake and Turkish orange cake taste lovely, but I wouldn't score highly on presentation.

You see, I'm rather slapdash when it comes to cooking and baking. I throw things in, roughly measuring them on my old sweetie scales as I go along and hoping for the best. I'm what my mother  calls "kack handed" - I tend to end up wearing as much of the cake mixture as goes into the oven, and flour just seems to drift and cover the kitchen .

The thought of being precise, being judged and being what I call downright fanciful, just gives me the heeby jeebies when it comes to baking. There's quite enough pressure in my life thank you without sweating my guts out on a set in the middle of nowhere with lots of other contestants who are lovely but wanting to beat me at the same time.

So it's not the Bake off which is getting me itchy and twitchy to start baking again...it's the time of year. Autumn. There's been so many blackberries this year, and I can only freeze so many....so it's time for a blackberry loaf.

Now I don't know where this recipe came from...or when...but it's written on a scrap of paper, in my handwriting.

It's really easy to make, and can keep for about five days. Having said that, this loaf doesn't last long...it's very moreish.

I give you a Blackberry loaf for a kack handed cook....

 Ingredients

3 and a half oz of butter
2tspn baking powder
8oz plain flour
1oz oats
5oz of sugar
2 ad a half oz blackberries
6 fluid oz milk
a beaten egg

So here's what you do....

1.Grease and line a 1 lb loaf tin with greaseproof paper.

2.Sift the baking powder and flour into a mixing bowl then add the oats, sugar and half of the blackberries. Mix together

3. Melt the butter in a saucepan , then stir in the milk and egg. (Careful now...you don't want scrambled egg!)

4.Put the mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix, before turning into the loaf tin. Sprinkle the rest of the blackberries on the top of the mixture.

5. Bake in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius...that's 350 fahreneheit for about 50minutes to an hour until firm to touch.

6.leave in the tin for about 5 minutes, the put on a rack and sprinkle with a handful of sugar.

And there you have it...a very simple loaf, which wouldn't win any prizes when it comes to beauty and fiddlyness in the Great British Bake off...but which is simply lovely about elevenish with a strong cup of coffee.


Today's track is "Blackberry Way" ...not by the Move or ELO...but by the Wonder Stuff. I really like this version...